Twisted Logic
by Diamond Mask
Summary: [Alphia] Haunted by his dark past, Albel battles to admit his deep emotions for Sophia, while she struggles to let go of the life she has always known. But Fayt, it seems, seeks to tear them apart...
1. Chapter One

**Twisted Logic**

**Summary:** Haunted by dark memories of his past, Albel battles to admit his deep emotions for Sophia, while she struggles to let go of the life she has always known. When Fayt arrives with the intent of taking Sophia back to Earth, will their relationship survive his efforts to tear them apart? Or will a tragedy of their own doing threaten to drive them apart forever?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Star Ocean Till the End of Time or the respective characters. Chuck Norris can and does.

**Warnings:** Language, sex, violence and character deaths. Sophia might be OOC because I've made her more mature and not as idiotic.

**A/N:** No! Why am I writing an Albel/Sophia story? Normally I **hate** this pairing (I support Sophia bashing- well, I used to)… but now I seem to have changed my mind. This couple **can** work and I seem to have gotten a taste for it. Don't think this means I've abandoned AlbelxNel, but I now write AlbelxSophia as well.

**Read and review (please?)**

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**Chapter One:** **Where Passion Lies **

The white folds wrapped themselves around her legs as she stood against the wind, her hair fluttering behind her in silken waves as she continued her silent and lonely vigil over him. The one she watched was moving in the valley below, slaughtering every beast and monster in his path with swift strokes of his beloved sword. The roars and shrieks of agony echoed in her ears and she flinched at the sight of the blood splattering against the dull rock and staining the dust crimson. He fought tirelessly, locked in a dance of death with the katana as his partner, and the enemy could only fall at his feet, unable to resist the melodious allure of his blade. She resisted the urge to call out his name when she thought she saw him falter, but resolved to say nothing and raised the staff clenched tightly in her hand, murmuring the incantation of a healing spell under her breath. Her breath caught in her throat when he raised his head as the glowing light surrounded his lithe form, and his crimson gaze met hers.

Standing there in the valley, covered in the blood of his enemy, he was the embodiment of desire and she wanted him. If she was to be punished for coming here, then so be it. Sophia no longer cared what he ordered her to do and was prepared to accept his punishment if it meant being near him. She lost sight of him for a moment as he disappeared into the shadows below the hill, and she waited quietly, returning her staff to the sheath strapped to her back. The soft crunch of footsteps sounded behind her, followed by a sharp click as he slid his bloodstained sword back into the ornate sheath at his side.

"Why did you come back?" his voice was husky and dry, and she suspected he must have been fighting for quite some time, taking no time to drink water. The swordsman seemed to live only to make life more difficult for himself.

She turned to face him, her green eyes burning with defiance and longing. "I wanted to see you," she replied softly. "It's been so long, that I…"

Albel glared at her coldly. "I meant for you to return to your planet and remain there, maggot. I specifically instructed you to **never** return to this world. Can you not even understand a simple command?"

Sophia winced at the insult delivered so callously but gazed imploringly into his eyes, gripping his arm with a sudden determinism. "Albel, I **had** to see you again."

He regarded the young woman standing in front of him, the short white dress that hugged the curves of her slim body, and the familiar way in which her rich brown locks fell over her shoulders to graze the hint of cleavage peeking over the modest neckline of the dress. White boots and a winged staff spreading out from behind her shoulders completed the angelic look, her appearance the picture of innocence. She returned the gaze, her eyes travelling over the severe black military uniform that he wore and the dark hair that begged her to run her fingers through the soft strands.

She smiled softly and he cursed at the way the smile illuminated her beautiful face. "I see you've lost your penchant for more alternative dress, Albel." True enough, the sarong and purple boots were gone, and had been replaced with a simple black shirt and pants, standard military boots and a dark purple cloak thrown around his thin shoulders. But the thick metal collar still encased his throat, a length of chain dangling past the neck of his shirt. He had never, in all the months she had known him, removed it from his neck. With a flush, she remembered how she herself had yanked on the chain to pull him closer when they had…

The memory brought a torrent of painful reminiscences to her, and she sighed, remembering the faint scents of leather and vanilla that had remained in her clothes, even weeks after she had left.

The captain ignored her, tearing his gaze away from the gentle curve of her lips. "You should not have come here," he said flatly.

The smile disappeared and he felt a tinge of regret that he was the cause of the light fading slightly in her emerald orbs. "I missed you."

Albel turned abruptly away from her and began striding down the hill, back to the gorge where he had been assigned to exterminate monsters. Frustrated tears pooled in her eyes and she ran after him, grabbing his arm with both small hands. "I missed you so much I thought I was going to die!" she blurted out, unable to stop the tears finally spilling over onto her cheeks.

He halted, the muscles of his arm tensing under her touch as a shudder rippled through his body. "Sophia…"

She raised her face hopefully at the sound of her name, her green eyes glittering with tears. He grasped her trembling chin with his fingers, forcing her to look away from him. "Look there," he commanded, pointing her gaze in the direction of the horizon.

"Albel, I don't…" she tried to twist her head around to look at him, but stopped when his grip grew tighter and she gasped with pain.

"Tell me," he whispered hoarsely, "What it is that you see."

The landscape was desolate, still pitted by the scars that the Vendeeni attack had left and the vegetation had yet to fully recover, with only a few bare sticks of wood left standing. The small number of animals left alive by the end of the war was quickly dwindling because monster and dragon populations were exploding, killing livestock in murderous rampages. All in all, it was a miserable sight. Actually, it was not even a miserable sight, there was **nothing**.

"I see nothing," she replied honestly.

The answer satisfied him and he released her, even though his fingers lingered near her lips. But she stepped back from him, taking a deep breath. "I see nothing but the chance for rebirth, the chance for renewal!"

Albel snorted in disgust. "And what do you know of this world, maggot? In six months, everything has changed. The peace is crumbling, our people falling into war again. There is little food, the monsters run rampant, bandits rape and murder in their droves. Look at it, Sophia, and tell me that this is the world that you wanted to come back to!"

Slowly, she reached out to gently cradle his cheek in her palm. "The only world I know," she whispered tenderly, "Is the one I see when I look into your eyes, the world I feel when you hold me in your arms. And that is the only one that exists for me."

"Then you are truly blind," he spat. "Do you not have eyes, woman? There is nothing here for you!"

"You're here and that's enough!" she pushed her hair away from her face, her cheeks flushed with frustration. "Albel, the past six months without you have been the worst in my life. I can't sleep at night knowing you're so far away, I want to die for the need to be close to you! Can you even **understand** what I feel?"

_Of course you fool, _he wanted to scream at her. _I never wanted you to leave, I never wanted you to get on that blasted ship! You think that I can sleep at night knowing you might be with **him**? _

_But as much as I want to deny it, you belong with Fayt. You belong to a world I cannot know. And who am I to deny you the life you deserve? _

"You belong to Fayt. Not to me, Sophia. You never did."

She swallowed hard, resisting the urge to slap some sense into his thick head. "What makes you think I want to be with **Fayt**? Albel, after everything we did together, how could you think that I don't belong to you?"

Albel grasped her waist with his clawed hand, drawing her close to him. "Everything, Sophia? Everything meant **nothing** to me. When I see you and Fayt together, you share so much. Your childhood, your friendship, your families… and what do we share? Death? Destruction? War? Is that what you want to live with, what you think you deserve from me?" he growled, his arms dropping to rest at his sides.

Oh, Albel… 

A tear fell from her cheek onto his chest. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she rested her head on his chin, breathing in the rank smell of blood. "Before you, life was only a dream where I waited, waited for someone who I could love beyond all bounds. When I met you, Albel, I could finally wake up," she said softly, listening to the sound of his heartbeat.

A knife twisted in his chest, and he flinched. _Yet you will never know that I was the one who awakened first. _

_Sophia…_

_How I would love to love you. _

"I cannot give you what you ask of me, Sophia." When she raised her head to meet his gaze, he turned away, refusing to see the pain that he knew would be in her eyes.

"Albel, look at me."

Met only with a stony silence, she forcibly pulled his chin to look into his eyes. He glared at her without a word and she smiled sadly. Summoning all her strength, she raised a hand, and before he could react, her palm had met his cheek with a loud crack. "When will you stop lying to me, Albel?" she cried, her eyes filling once more with tears. "I want you to tell me the truth! Do you love me?"

Love? 

His dark hair fell over his eyes, hiding them from her as he took a step back. "You want to know how I feel?" he asked harshly, his voice sounding strange, even to his own ear.

Sophia nodded and reached for his flesh hand to entwine the fingers with her own. Without warning, he grabbed her roughly around the waist and crushed his lips to hers in a kiss, savage in its desperation. Willingly, she opened her mouth to his, her hands eagerly seeking his face, his hair. His clawed hand snatched a handful of hair, jerking her head back and allowing him to deepen the kiss. She did not protest at the violence of his embrace, having dreamed of it, indeed craved it for so long. Albel soon abandoned her lips in favour of the exposed skin of her neck and he attacked the place directly under the curve of her chin, where he knew she was particularly sensitive. She gasped at the heated contact, whispering his name in a shudder of pleasure. When his teeth grazed the hollow of her throat, she whimpered in surrender and arched against him, burying her hands in the mane that fell down his back. Albel fought to restrain himself, but now that the moment he had been fantasizing about for weeks had finally arrived, why wait?

"I have a passion for you that refuses to die," he murmured, hoisting up her slender form to cradle her in his arms. _And it's killing me inside._

Her lips searched for his and nibbled along the lines of his jaw, caressing the sweat slicked skin. "Maybe that's what we do share," she answered quietly, her warm breath tickling his earlobe. "Passion. It's what brought us together in the first place, isn't it? And it's something I only have for you."

Albel considered the possibility briefly before a familiar smirk curved his lips. "Is that enough for you now, woman?"

Sophia kissed him gently, her fingers sliding down the open neck of his shirt. "I don't care," she whispered as the skilled lips on her skin brought her to the brink of sexual madness. "Just take me now before we both go insane."

He growled, nipping her bottom lip teasingly. The darkened crimson of his eyes told her that he was prepared to throw her down right here and now, even in the open.

"Only not here," she added, linking her arms around his neck.

"It would give the monsters a show."

A raised brow told him that she was not joking and the hand brushing casually over his clothed manhood warned him that he had better hurry up. He gritted his teeth, resisting the powerful urge to rip off her dress with his hunting dagger. "You are not helping matters," he snapped irritably as he began walking as fast as he could with his precious cargo.

"I know." With that, her teeth clamped down on his exposed collarbone, biting hard enough to leave a mark. Albel growled in frustration, on the verge of losing all control.

"If you continue doing that, how do you expect me to wait until we get to the cave!"

"Cave?"

"What else would you prefer in the middle of nowhere? You want me to take you in the dirt under a **tree**?"

She sighed reluctantly, stroking the spot where her teeth marks were still indented in the smooth, muscled flesh.

"Stop that."

"Why?" Delicately, she flicked her tongue over the reddened flesh and he gritted his teeth.

"You know why."

"Enlighten me."

"You are driving me **insane**," he hissed.

"Exactly."

He glared down at her but when she smiled cutely at him, his resistance instantly crumbled.

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Her back slammed against the stone but her involuntary gasp was lost in the recesses of the mouth moulded over her own as Albel pinned her against the wall, holding her wrists above her head and rendering her helpless. Sophia did not even care when she saw the silver flash of the dagger in his hand tearing between her breasts and down her stomach, efficiently ruining the dress she had chosen so carefully for their reunion. Once the dress had been ripped off of her, her staff fell to the floor with a clatter which both ignored. A small price to pay for the dream she had held close to her heart for so many long months.

Once she was fully naked, she locked her arms around his neck, starving for the taste of him but he pulled back for a moment, swearing as he struggled to pull his shirt off of his thin frame. She made a small sound of protest at the loss of contact, which was quickly silenced when her hands were allowed to splay over the smooth expanse of his chest, teasing the hardening buds. While her hands were occupied with his chest, her lips continued elsewhere, her tongue engaged in a mock battle with his, which Albel won effortlessly with his natural dominance.

Albel quickly realised that it would not do to take Sophia like this, her back would soon be rubbed raw from the rough rock. So, he lifted her easily and carried her to a patch of smooth stone, depositing her gently on the cave floor. He paused in the act of removing his pants, gazing down at the beautiful nymph that had him under her spell. Her hair was fanned around her face, flushed red from his embrace, her lips bruised and swollen from his kisses. She had never looked lovelier, in any other moment they had experienced together.

"Sophia…" he bent down closer to her, kneeling beside her to cup her cheek in one hand.

She smiled up at him and placed her hand over his. "What are you waiting for? "

He nodded his head in silent agreement but when she reached for him, he caught her wrists, holding them down on either side of her head. "Do you want this?"

Green eyes blinked in surprise. "Albel?"

"Do you trust me?"

Sophia took a deep breath and, freeing her hand, took his. "I trust you, Albel. More than I trust myself," she whispered, touching her lips to his palm in a light kiss.

He chuckled softly and their mouths met, again and again until their lungs burned from lack of air. Lowering himself gently on top of her, he began a trail of kisses that burned as his tongue danced across her heated skin in intricate loops. Sophia moaned his name as he tweaked a nipple between fingers calloused by swordsmanship, taking its twin into his mouth and swirling the bud in delicious circles. Encouraged by her desperate whimpers of pleasure, his hand caressed her belly in lazy strokes until he decided her breasts had received enough attention and his lips descended downwards.

Determined to return the pleasure he was giving her, the brunette tried to push him back so she could reach the hardness pressing into her inner thigh, but one look stopped her in her tracks. Her lover was equally determined, and would clearly not let her touch him until he had succeeded in driving her crazy with his games.

"I am the master of this game," he murmured huskily, pressing his lips to the velvety skin covering the raised hip bones. "Master of you. You are **mine**."

"Y-yes," she moaned, arching into his touch. "I belong to you… only you, Albel…"

Pleased with the answer, he rewarded her by claiming her womanhood with his skilled tongue, smirking as she writhed in exquisite ecstasy, moaning a distorted version of his name, unable to think coherently.

"D-don't stop…" she pleaded, her eyes flying shut at the intense heat spreading from his mouth. Deliberately, he paused, raising crimson eyes darkened with lust.

"What was that, woman? Are you giving **me** orders?" he growled.

Dazed, Sophia lifted her head to give him an angry glare. "Look at it this way: do **you** want to stop?"

The smug expression on his pointed face told her that while he did not want to, he would just to infuriate her further. "Since you look ten times more appealing when you're angry," he teased, lifting one slim leg to dot her inner thigh with small kisses and elegant licks.

She groaned impatiently, jerking on the closest braid to pull him closer. "Stop the teasing, Albel, I want you inside me **now**. After waiting for six months, I think we can both skip the games."

He entwined his arms around her, lifting her up slightly, intending to ignore her and continue his teasing, but when she shifted to avoid the prosthetic hand digging into the small of her back, she accidentally brushed up against him and he froze, his grip around her waist tightening. Sophia hid a satisfied smile of her own when she saw the look of fleeting vulnerability that flitted across his strong features and knew she did not have long to wait now.

"I hate what you do to me, woman," he growled in frustration before he pushed her back onto the floor. She wrapped herself around him, her nails scraping fine lines across his spine and her legs hooking around narrow hips to rest in the small of his back. Licking his lips in anticipation, he positioned himself at her entrance, tenderly brushing sweat slicked hair away from her flushed cheeks. She gasped as he slowly pushed into her, whispering soft words of encouragement as he began to move within her with deep strokes.

His gaze, clouded by lust, was locked with hers as he clenched his teeth, carefully restraining himself from forcibly slamming into her too soon and he hissed when she dug her nails into his back and she shuddered from the ripples of pleasure that coursed through her slim form. But as the same sweet waves began to beat at his resolve, he increased the pace and force of his thrusts, bringing them both closer to the brink of their release. He breathed out her name in a hoarse growl and Sophia cried out his as she came, her fingers raking angry red lines across his back and actually drawing blood. The sudden tightening around his manhood threw him off the edge and he stiffened as he released his essence into her, panting her name under his breath like a mantra. Albel resisted the urge to collapse on top of her and she melted in his arms, both breathing a soft sigh of fulfilment. He moved himself carefully, first settling beside her and then pulling her limp form on top of his without breaking the intimate connection. With her cheek pressed against his chest, faintly gleaming with sweat, they lay together in blissful silence, limbs entangled and he groped blindly for his cloak with his prosthetic hand, throwing the purple warmth over her. Sophia snuggled closer to him, her breath whistling softly over still heated flesh.

"It's good to know that you haven't changed your style a bit since we last made love," she said, a contented sigh sweet on her lips.

"Only because I've been fantasizing about this moment since you left for Earth," he replied, his flesh arm curving around her possessively. "Planning it in my head **very** carefully…to every last detail, actually…"

"I'm flattered."

"You should be."

Raising herself slightly over him, she punched him lightly on the shoulder. "You should be more grateful, you know. I spent a lot of my own hard earned money on this trip."

"Is it my turn to be flattered?" he asked, raising his brow quizzically.

"Jerk."

"Worm," he retorted mockingly.

Sophia smiled and shut her eyes, one finger drawing lazy circles on his sculpted muscles. "Albel?"

"Hmm?" he leaned his head back on the floor, one hand buried in her brown hair, stroking the strands slowly.

"Again."

"So soon?"

"What, is Albel the Wicked tired **already**? What a pathetic display!" Teasingly, she twisted a nipple with her mouth, watching his expression turn to one of irritated eagerness. Normally, he wanted to be the one in charge and it was annoying when he was not. This would drive him absolutely crazy…which was exactly what she wanted.

"You presume too much, maggot," he growled, flipping her to the ground to lie on his cloak. He straddled her once again and pressed her lips to his, his tongue demanding entrance to hers. As lips and hands took over, the pair finally found the satisfaction and bliss that both had been longing for since their separation.

For the first time in months, both had hope of heaven.

**To be continued. **


	2. Chapter Two

**Twisted Logic**

**Summary:** See chapter one

**Disclaimer:** See chapter one

**Warnings:** See chapter one

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**Chapter Two:** **The Dreams of Yesterday**

"_It was your fault she died. If you had never been born, she would still be here. You little shit, you killed the one person who actually meant something to me!" _

_The small boy peered fearfully through dark bangs, crouching in the darkened corner as the looming figure approached. "Father…" the tiny voice would have struck a chord deep inside the heart of anyone else, but the heart it needed to reach was a chunk of ice, a hard stone in his chest. _

"_Keep your filthy mouth shut, brat!" _

"_Father, please…" the tear filled crimson orbs glittered in the candlelight and a sharp pain jabbed his father at the sight of his beloved wife's eyes. _

"_SHUT UP!" _

_The pained shriek that echoed through the Nox manor could have broken your heart, and the sobbing that followed was pitiful. _

"_Now get out of my sight, you pathetic maggot!" _

_The exclamation was punctuated by a sharp yelp as a boot connected heavily with his side and the boy scrambled to get away from his fathers drunken rampage, wishing he had had the sense to hide when he had first seen the empty bottles lying on the table. Now, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him, into the maze of empty corridors he called home before he collapsed in a heap inside his bedroom. He sniffled, wiping a sleeve across his dripping nose and glared hatefully at the stains, wishing the tears would stop. _

_He hugged his knees to his chest, scrubbing his eyes furiously with the roughly spun material of his thin shirt. "I won't cry…I won't be weak…" he murmured under his breath, hiccupping now and then much to his chagrin. Once he was satisfied that his face, now red and swollen, was dry, he got to his feet, ignoring the shaking in his limbs. Wincing, he clutched the place where Glou had kicked him and wanted to cry again when he felt sticky blood on his arm. The cut was not bad, Albel had endured worse and he reminded himself sternly of this. A cold wind whipped through the room and he shivered, wrapping his arms around himself and walking to the window._

"_I have to get away," he decided, leaning against the window ledge for support. "But I don't know where to go." _

_Racking his brains, he realized that he had no other family beside his father, and knew no other adults he could trust except…_

"_Woltar! I'll go to Woltar! He'll let me stay in Kirlsa!" he exclaimed to himself, clapping his hands in sudden childish delight. _

_For the first time in many weeks a smile broke out on his young face at the thought of the kindly middle aged man, who always let him ride the trained lums and made sure that Albel received extra dessert at dinner, since he knew the boy had a sweet tooth. He also told the best stories, that left the young Albel so enthralled that he could not sleep at bedtime. Yes, he would go to Woltar. _

_There was no one else. _

_It would be dawn by the time he reached Kirlsa, if he was lucky and managed to sneak onto a wagon heading in the town's direction. There was no way an eight year old boy could manage the trek to Kirlsa, especially at night. He would either be ambushed by bandits or killed by wild animals. _

"_But I have to go. I have to get away from him." _

_Biting his lip in resolve, he turned to his cupboard and began throwing clothes into a leather travelling bag, keeping a watchful eye on the shadows beneath his door. He hesitated when he reached for some of his more important possessions. They would be a heavy burden and he needed to be able to run, but he could not bear to leave then behind. He clenched one small fist and threw them randomly in the bag, only stopping when he was afraid that it would not be able to close. In his hurry, he did not notice the approach of heavy footsteps. _

"_Albel?" his father's voice came from behind the door. No doubt he wanted to apologise for the thousandth time, or worse, beat his son again. _

_Albel gasped in terror, flinging his bag over his thin shoulders and running to the window. He hoisted himself up on the ledge, judging the distance to the haystack under his window. Terrified at the prospect of jumping, he froze. It was only when he heard his father calling for him again, that he clenched his eyes shut. _

"_Mother…" _

_He landed with a soft thud, knocking the breath out of him slightly. But he rolled over and moved quietly to the wall, crouching in the shadows as he heard the door to his room opening. _

"_You in here, boy?" _

_Quietly Albel rose, skirting around the side of the mansion, careful to keep in the shadows. He walked on tiptoe, hoping he could at least make it into the city before his father found he was missing. By then, Albel would be far away. _

"_Maggot must be crying in one of the other rooms," Glou muttered to himself, a twinge of regret penetrating his blurred thoughts as it always did and he turned to leave the room, slamming the door behind him. Albel sighed with relief at the noise, quickening his pace towards the front gate, which had been left unguarded at the late hour. _

_As he passed through the gate, he hesitated. Was he doing the right thing? Leaving his father alone in the manor? _

_Tears filled his eyes before he blinked them away irritably. Tears were for the weak. That was what his father always said. _

_Albel straightened his back proudly and raising his head high, took his first step into the outer world beyond the beatings, beyond the drinking and the screaming. _

_He did not look back._

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His mood was pensive as he sat on the window ledge, a thin stream of smoke floating in a haze in front of him. The sunlight felt luxurious on his bare chest, and he resisted the urge to fall asleep on the ledge, instead glancing over at the sleeping woman in his bed. Her eyelids fluttered gently in sleep and she sighed softly, shifting onto her other side as she lay entangled in crimson sheets. Irritably, Albel tapped the fluted paper, allowing the ash to fall and the sweet scent of the herbs permeated the room. Normally he refrained from smoking, but the herbs he smoked were more for his need for relaxation rather than because of an addiction. Of course, his reason was in itself an addiction. But he had more important things to think about than his new habit.

_Why did she come back? _

One of the reasons had been evident last night, but that was not reason enough to travel so far. The second reason was lying on his bedroom floor. Neatly stacked in a pile next to the chaise lounge, was enough luggage to clothe an entire village. Clearly, Sophia was not planning on leaving for a while, if ever. He settled with his back against stone, shutting his eyes for a moment, pondering how he was going to tell her she had to return to Earth. As difficult as it may be to believe that Albel the Wicked would deny himself what he obviously wanted, there were unavoidable factors influencing his decision: namely a group of maggots that included a certain bluenette boy and an overgrown blonde lummox. Albel could taken one in a fight, but as he would reluctantly admit, there was no way he would be able to take on both Fayt and Cliff. Especially if that Zelpher bitch joined in as well, which she probably would as they had unresolved 'issues'.

"_Lay one finger on her again, Nox, and I'll snap your scrawny neck like a twig." _

Hard to believe that the easy going Klausian would be so protective of "Fayt's girl" (the wrongness of that statement was apparently only obvious to Albel), that he would threaten violence against someone who had fought by his side. Albel did not particularly care what Cliff thought, but it was irritating to have a giant fist waving in front of your face. Who could blame him for attacking the oversized maggot? You would think that they would be grateful for shutting him up, but no, they had all turned on him instantly. He drew in a lungful of sweet smoke before letting it drop beside him on the floor, getting the itch in his fingers that told him he needed to go hunting again.

"If I open my eyes…"

He raised his head at the sound of her voice. "What will happen?"

The brunette smiled, her eyes still shut. "Will I find that yesterday was only a dream?"

He hesitated. _Yes._ "No. Open your eyes."

Sophia stretched her arms above her head and her green eyes blinked open sleepily. "Hey," she said softly. "Come back to bed."

He shook his head, uncurling himself from the window and landing on the carpet with a muffled thump, stamping on the herbs he had been smoking. "I have duties to attend to this morning, Sophia. The Nassar dragons are in their breeding season and I need to conduct the hunt."

"I could come with you," she suggested brightly. "I could help."

"The hunt is for trained soldiers only," he argued, pulling a loose shirt over his head. "And the wilderness is no place for a woman."

She rolled her eyes. "Albel, you know what my capabilities are. I can fry thirty monsters at once, barbecue the rest and still send a couple to an alternate dimension. Does that qualify me?"

Damn, she had him there. "No. The Nassars are difficult to defeat without prior experience and training."

The look she gave him was beyond sceptical. "…"

Yanking his belt around his waist and buckling the sword sheath in place, he gave her a glare. "**No**. And I mean every word."

Sophia pouted. "What do you expect me to do the entire day while you're gone?"

He sat down on the bed to strap his boots onto his feet and she smoothed her hands along his shoulders, lifting his braided hair to kiss the nape of his neck. "Explore the village. That should keep you occupied for a few hours until I return."

"Oh, I make the effort to visit you and you expect me to occupy myself? Really, you should learn a few things about being a good host from Woltar."

"Sophia," he said, turning to face her with one brow raised. "You are not visiting. You obviously have no intention of leaving Elicoor again."

"Clever man."

"When were you planning on telling me?"

"When the time was right. Like now."

He looked at her expectantly and she smiled nervously. "Well?" he asked gruffly.

"I am not going back to Earth," she announced and took a deep breath. "I'm staying right here. With you." She bit her lip, suddenly looking shy. "That is… if you want me to."

Albel slid the strap of his boot into place, feeling her warm presence at his back. He wanted to yes, so badly that he wanted to scream it. But words haunted him, memories that prevented him from telling her what he wanted.

"_You do not deserve love, maggot, only my respect and you could not even earn that. What good are you to anybody? What could you possibly offer anyone else? Even coming into this world, you brought death upon someone who loved you more than life itself!" _

"_Sophia deserves someone who will love and care for her, Albel. Are you even capable of that?" _

_Am I?_

_Could I love her? Do I deserve to love her?_

"Albel?" she asked, concern creeping into her voice.

_Yesterday was only a dream. Nothing more. _

"I…" he began and then hesitated, removing her hands from his shoulders and rising. "My unit is expecting me now, Sophia, I will speak with you when I return."

Stung, she stared at him with eyes full of hurt. Her face twisted into an unreadable expression and she turned from him, clasping her arms around herself. "Then go."

He kissed her cheek, gently stroking her hair but she did not respond except to pull away. Albel did not blame her, only sighing as he walked towards the door. "Perhaps I will bring you back something from the village later," he offered tentatively as he paused in the doorway. When there was no reply, he simply left, the door slamming shut behind him.

Alone, Sophia dissolved in the tears she would not have allowed herself to shed in front of him, clutching the crimson sheets in her hands. "Albel…" she whispered.

_Why won't you let me love you?_

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An hour later, she resolved not to wallow in misery and decided to wander around the Kirlsa manor since she had not seen it in such a long time. On her arrival yesterday, she had been greeted by Woltar and instead of being escorted to her quarters, she had asked to see Albel immediately. The old man, with a knowing twinkle in his eye, had told her where to find him and did not even need to ask whether she required an escort. Evidently he knew Albel well enough to deduce that they would not be returning well before dawn. Idly, she trailed her hand along the suits of armour decorating the hallway void of people, not hearing the footsteps behind her.

"Good morning, Lady Esteed. I trust I find you well?"

"Count Woltar," she returned the greeting respectfully, ever mindful of his importance in Albel's life. Not only that, she could not help but like the Storm Brigade captain with his courtly manner and honour as a knight that extended into all corners of his personality. "Please, call me Sophia. The whole 'Lady Esteed' thing still makes me a little uncomfortable."

"Certainly, Sophia." He looked around her quizzically. "Is Albel not accompanying you to breakfast this morning?"

Albel had not even mentioned the word before he had left and she frowned. "He left early for a hunt with his unit."

"Ah," he murmured and then looked at her sympathetically. "Then would you care to join me for a meal? I have excellent cooks at my disposal and we are long overdue for a conversation. I would like to hear how Fayt and the others are doing."

She nodded, gratefully accepting the offer of his arm and he gallantly escorted her to a sunny parlour where a delicious meal was laid out for them. "This looks great," she commented, sitting down and eyeing the food hungrily. But she frowned as she stared at the plentiful fare in front of her, something that Albel said yesterday niggling at her memory.

"_The peace is crumbling, our people are falling into war again. There is little food, the monsters run rampant, bandits rape and murder in their droves…" _

For a world that was falling apart, Woltar looked very much at ease and comfortable as he sat eating. And if what Albel said was true, Woltar would not be sitting here, she was sure of it. Which meant Albel had lied.

He glanced up at her as he raised a bite to his lips, and paused when he saw the frozen expression on her face. "Sophia? Is something wrong?" he enquired.

She shook her head as if dazed, and sighed. "Um, it's nothing…"

Woltar set his fork down, taking a long sip of water from his goblet. "There is something on your mind, Sophia, and it is preventing you from enjoying a delectable meal. Tell me what it is, and perhaps I can help."

"Yesterday in the Kirlsa wilderness, Albel told me some things about Elicoor II," she began in a rush, "awful things. He said that there is no food, bandits are murdering people, that war is brewing again…"

To her surprise, Woltar chuckled. _My, Albel is becoming more desperate by the week. Now he lies about his own country to discourage her feelings? When will he ever learn? _

_But I understand why he does it. He still believes that she has no place in this world. _

"Albel lied to me, didn't he?" her eyes were downcast, more disappointed than upset.

"Not entirely," Woltar admitted. "We did encounter some problems with peace negotiations at first, but they have since been resolved. Airyglyph himself travelled to the Aquarian capital to conduct a conference with the queen. A few people are still having problems with adjusting to times of peace though, Albel in particular. The bandits are currently a problem but Aquaria has sent one of her best runological units to assist us in the matter and in any event, they have only managed to pillage one village. As for our food situation, Greeton is assisting both us and Aquaria until we manage to repair the damage done to the crop fields. The Kirlsa hills are a bit of a wreck at the moment. Thus far, as you can see," he said, sweeping his hand above the table, "They have been surprisingly generous. Albel only exaggerated the truth." _To gross proportions,_ Woltar thought dryly.

"But why?" she persisted. "I don't understand, why couldn't he have told me the truth? Why lie?"

"That, Sophia, is a question that I cannot answer. Only he can. Now come, eat." He gestured to her still full plate before continuing, "I thought perhaps you would like to go into the village after you had eaten, so I took the liberty of arranging an escort for you."

"An **escort**? I don't need an escort, Woltar. I'm capable of looking after myself," she protested.

"Oh no, not an escort for protection, only one of the servant girls who will accompany you as a guide of sorts."

She smiled, relaxing slightly. "Okay. Thank you."

He returned to his meal, before speaking again a moment later. "So, how are Fayt and the other warriors?"

Sophia swallowed before answering and she laughed. "Everyone is fine," she assured him before continuing, "although I seriously doubt that they consider themselves warriors! Though Fayt might, because of all those videogame simulations that he plays. Maria, Cliff and Mirage are still operating Quark as far as I know, and Peppita still travels with the family circus as a dancer. When they performed on Earth, Fayt and I went to see them and her dancing has really improved. And uh, after we returned to Earth, Fayt went back to the academy and I went back to school. That's pretty much it."

"That sounds wonderful. I'm happy that you could return to your normal lives after such a difficult battle."

_Wonderful? If Albel had been with me, then yeah, it would have been wonderful. Sometimes, even though I hated fighting, I wish we still were. At least I was with Albel. God, I come off like such a selfish bitch. _

_But all I want, is to be with the man I love. Is that too much to ask for?_

_And why do I get the feeling that the answer to that question is yes?_

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"Sir Albel, the Dragon Brigade scout has detected a brood of six Nassars north of our location. Shall we proceed as planned?"

Albel stood on the cliff, looking down into the valley below with one hand on his sword. Even now, his mind was replaying the hurt expression on her face, the coldness of her voice. He had snubbed her, badly this time. And she would not be so quick to forgive him. But perhaps that was the best thing for both of them.

"Sir Albel?"

"Yes," he snapped, running a hand agitatedly through his thick hair. "Proceed as planned. Kill every last one of them."

"But sir, it was instructed that we should kill only three of the five females, and leave the alpha male alive…"

He cast the offending officer a red hot glare. "Did I stutter? I said, kill them all! I do not care to repeat myself, soldier!"

The soldier nodded his head, bowing quickly. "As you command, my lord."

Albel turned back to the edge of the cliff, his hair stirred by the cold breeze blowing from the east. Killing six Nassars would be good sport, and would help take his mind off of Sophia. A bitter smile crossed his face, as he wondered why he actually listened to fools like Fayt and his father. If he did not, he could simply take Sophia, regardless of who got in his way. The sad truth was that they were right.

Absolutely right. And as much as he wanted to ignore them, he was forced to acknowledge the harsh reality: Albel Nox was a monster who only brought death to those he cared for.

And he would be damned if he allowed himself to do the same thing to Sophia.

**To be continued…**


	3. Chapter Three

**Twisted Logic**

**Summary:** See chapter one

**Disclaimer:** See chapter one

**Warnings:** See chapter one

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**Chapter Three: By Your Side**

"_I don't want to see him, Woltar. I made that perfectly clear to you yesterday. You **know** what he did."_

_The Storm Brigade captain regarded the sullen twelve-year-old boy standing in front of him with exhaustion. "It has been four years, boy. Your father is a different man now. He only wishes to speak with you, perhaps take you home…" _

_His pale cheeks reddened with twin spots of red. "I can't go back there, I won't. You can't make me!" he cried, the violent outburst leaving him trembling. "I don't want to see him again!" In his anger, he lapsed into a more childish manner, the cold and detached demeanour he had adopted in more recent years slipping away. _

"_Albel, I know it will be difficult at first. But I am not your legal father; I cannot keep you here with me. His Majesty has renewed his captainship, surely that is some indication that you can give him a measure of your trust?" _

"_No!" _

"_There is no longer anything I can do. Perhaps if your father comes to stay here for a while, you may think differently about returning to your family manor." _

"_If he comes here, I won't stay. I'll leave!" _

"_And then where will you go? Who will take you in?" _

_The boy fell silent, flinging his head angrily to one side so he would not have to meet the penetrating gaze of the older man. His back was stiff, proud. _

_Woltar sighed and reached out with one hand to lay it on a thin shoulder. "Albel…" _

_He reacted to the gentle touch like a hard blow and jerked out of his grasp. "I though I could trust you," he spat. "But you're just the same. I **hate** you!" _

_The harshness of the young boy's words struck Woltar to his very core and pain knifed his heart. This boy, whom he had raised and watched grow like a son for four years, hated him? How could the gods have allowed that to happen? _

"_If you do not wish to see him," Woltar began, his voice gruff, "then I will request that your father respect your wishes." _

_Albel gazed at him, the sparks of distrust still flickering in the crimson depths. "You will?" _

"_Yes. But you must understand that if he petitions the king and is granted his appeal, you will have no choice but to return to his household. There will be nothing that I can do. You are his son, **not** mine." _

"_Then why can't I be yours!" _

_There was a stunned silence before Albel spun around and fled, leaving Woltar standing alone. He opened his mouth to call after the boy but his words stuck in his throat. He had had no idea that the boy felt so strongly about living in Kirlsa and more importantly, about him._

_What had begun as a warm affection for the son of his comrade had quickly grown into the love he had always expected to have for a son of his own blood. He remembered the dark night four years ago when Albel had arrived on his doorstep, soaking wet and half delirious from lack of food and water as if it were yesterday. Woltar had accepted the boy's need with a gracious intent to return him to his father in Airyglyph as soon as he was well enough to make the journey. But then he discovered something that soon changed his mind. _

_The bruises. _

_The nightmares that left Albel drenched in sweat, screaming for a mother who was not there to comfort him. _

_The screams that cursed his father. _

_Albel would not admit the truth so easily, but Woltar had heard enough from listening to him mumble in his restless sleep and resolved to keep him away from Glou for as long as the Dragon Brigade captain was a danger to his son._

_Six months after the boy last refused to see his father, even though Woltar did everything in his power to keep him, Albel was returned to his father's house._

_The manor seemed so empty without the presence of the boy and Woltar missed him. After four years, he had become so accustomed to hearing the exasperated cries of the servants as Albel played prank after prank on them and the delighted shouts as he joined the village boys in staging mock battles with wooden swords, that it hurt to realise he was gone._

_It hurt him more deeply than any wound, hurt more than any spell dealt by an Aquarian. _

_Of course he continued to see Albel, but it was never the same. Something had changed in the boy. _

_Something had died. _

_The inner fire that Woltar had nurtured into full flame had turned into dull ash, blown away with the wind. _

_The spark of mischief in his eyes had been extinguished and he treated all those around him with a cold indifference, even Woltar. The young boy had become separate from all of them._

_Thus began Albel's war on the fortune that refused to favour him. _

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"You damn fools, spread out! Get backed into a corner and you **die**!"

The furious roar from the captain was matched by the angry shriek from the dragon as she reared back, her long jaws snapping as flames shot out of her open mouth. With angry shouts, the Black Brigade soldiers fell back in an attempt to escape the flames.

Albel cursed and flew towards the dragon rampaging on the ground. "Air Slash!"

The ripple of energy streaked through the dirt and sliced the scaly hide of the female Nassar and she shrieked in pain, trampling a soldier in her blind panic. The soldier screamed in agony as his leg was crushed beneath the tremendous weight of the dragon and Albel ran past him, ignoring him completely.

He gripped the Crimson Scourge in his sword hand and favoured the dragon, which had backed into a corner of the gorge, with a grim smile. "Come and get me, dragon bitch. Today is the day you make the journey into hell!"

His latest lieutenant, a short and stocky man whose grace with a sword had not seemed to extend to his awkward walk, shook his head as he knelt to assist the fallen soldier. "That man has a death wish," he muttered, shoving a handful of berries into a mouth twisted from pain. The soldier did not respond, closing his eyes in blissful relief as the crushed bones of his leg began to repair themselves.

But the other participants in the hunt stood with their mouths hanging open as they watched their captain face the dragon, head to head.

He was truly a magnificent sight as he stood tall, his hair blowing freely in the wind and the terrible sword he wielded gleaming in the sunlight. But the image was spoiled when he turned around with a sneer on his pointed face.

"What are you waiting for, maggots! **Do** something!"

They sprang into action as he commanded, falling efficiently into the ordered lines that Albel preferred for hunts, but still they hung back. While Albel was not arrogant enough to try to fight a full-grown Nassar alone, he demanded the first attack. They were only to fight when the beast began to weaken. Then, as Albel always said, there was no more sport to be had. So he would detach himself from the battle and leave his soldiers to clean up after him. They did not complain, since no one really wanted to attack a fresh dragon and since their captain was a crazed warrior, who was going to argue?

Albel ducked as a thick claw slashed towards him and it sliced past his head, the dragon stumbling slightly as it lunged. He grinned savagely as his sword sank into the soft flesh of its underbelly and it shrieked in rage, twisting frantically to rid itself of the burning sting of the blade. The captain sneered at the flailing beast, turning his back on it disdainfully as he pulled his sword from the thick belly. This one had been far too easy. No challenge at all. Glaring at a nearby gaping soldier, he jerked his head irritably in the direction of the wounded dragon. "Finish it."

"Yes, milord!" he snapped to attention, sliding his sword out of its sheath and moving towards the floundering dragon with three other soldiers.

Albel watched the dragon die with cold eyes, deaf to the shrieks of pain and rage. With a snort, he wiped his blade clean of blood and slid it back into the sheath hanging at his side.

"No sport today, Sir Albel?"

Albel did not turn when his lieutenant spoke to him. "None. One would swear that these stupid beasts are getting weaker by the day. To get a decent kill, I shall have to find the male."

"He will stay close to his females so we should find him soon enough for my lord to have his entertainment for today."

Albel merely grunted in reply and the other man cast him a sly grin. The Black Brigade captain was typical to the point of predictability these days.

"Sir, we have located the remaining five!"

Perhaps this time Albel would finally get the challenge he had been desiring for so long. As he walked in the direction that the soldier had pointed out, he congratulated himself for managing to keep Sophia off his mind for a record breaking sixty minutes.

It was only too bad that it was not going to last.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"Wow, this is beautiful!" Sophia exclaimed, admiring the delicately beaded necklace that she held in her hands.

The vendor grinned in anticipation of a sale, leaning forward eagerly to show off more of his wares. "For a pretty young lady such as yourself, a bargain 300 Fol!"

"What! My lady, that is robbery!"

Sophia glanced sideways at the servant, who had a scowl on her face as she glowered at the wizened old vendor. "Why? It's such a pretty necklace, Elise."

"This old coot is trying to cheat you, Lady Sophia. That cannot be worth **300 **Fol! It is merely cheap junk!"

"It seems reasonable enough..."

"The lady obviously has an eye for quality," the vendor began, glaring daggers in the direction of the servant, who huffed and folded her arms resolutely. "But perhaps she should teach her servants some manners!"

"Hey," Sophia interjected when she saw the woman visibly swell with fury, "she isn't my servant. And her manners are fine the way they are."

"My lady, I meant no offence," he said hastily, wary that he might have just lost a sale. "Would my lady accept the price of 150 Fol with my sincerest apologies?"

"I don't see why not…" she began, taking a sideways glance at her companion, who snorted and turned away. "Yes, 150 Fol will be fine."

"Excellent!" he beamed, taking the necklace graciously from her and proceeding to drop it into a small velvet pouch, all the while watching her count out the money out of the corner of his eye. She dropped the money into an eager hand and was favoured with another beam as she took her purchase and she returned the smile quite happily.

The other woman began to stomp away as soon as Sophia had taken the necklace and she had to hurry to catch up. "But he seemed like such a nice old man, just trying to make a living!" she called after her.

"My lady is too easily swayed by appearances," the servant woman replied, slowing down to walk beside her. "That same old man who seems so 'nice' is a known swindler by night!"

"Then why didn't you say so?"

"To do so is to wake up with a knife in the back," she replied darkly. "He will have many friends willing to do so, that old man. To announce his activities to a noble is suicide."

"But I'm **not** a noble."

"My lady is the esteemed guest of Count Woltar and a heroine, thus you are nobility. And if my lady would permit me speak freely…"

Sophia shrugged. "Go ahead."

"The lady is held in Lord Albel's high regard, are you not?"

"I should hope so."

"You have the added status of being his chosen companion. Which, if I may add, is a title no woman has ever been able to claim before you."

She stopped in her tracks. "I have status because Albel is my **boyfriend**? Come on, there must have been another woman before me." Secretly, she hoped that this was not the case but because Albel was very handsome, albeit the sexiest man she had ever known, so she knew it was a foolish sentiment.

"Of course he has had women before, my lady, but you are the first who has remained by his side. Now that you have returned, there are undoubtedly high hopes for you and the lord. It is rumoured that the king himself hopes for a marriage and Count Woltar would undoubtedly want for Albel to finally settle down."

Her green eyes widened. "M-Marriage? They want Albel to **marry** me? B-But, I'm only eighteen years old!"

"Eighteen is the perfect age for marriage in our country, Lady Sophia. Do you not **want** to marry the captain of the Black Brigade?"

"Well, yeah, but I never thought it would be so **soon**… I mean, I thought, you know, maybe when I got a bit older…"

Seeing that Sophia was getting more and more flustered, Elise smiled. "I meant no insult."

"No, you didn't insult me, it's just that… the idea of marriage is a little heavy for so early in the morning," she laughed, a sudden skittish look in her eyes.

Oh god, they wanted her to **marry** Albel?

This soon?

Okay, she had known him for more than a year, but most of that had been spent billions of light years away from him. Truth be told, she didn't know as much about Albel as she would have liked. Especially to make a commitment like marriage. Yes, she did love him (she certainly felt like she did) but was she **ready** for something like this? She sighed, realising that she was being an idiot. It was a rumour, Albel probably hadn't even considered the possibility of her being his wife. Just like she hadn't considered the possibility of him being her husband.

She didn't really want to marry him, did she?

Yeah right, she berated himself sharply, why else did you come back to this planet anyway? It wasn't for the food! It was for Albel, simple as that.

But did she really want to spend the rest of her life with him?

Yes, she answered herself honestly. More than anything.

But what if that was just the dream of a naïve girl?

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"The dragons are heading towards the village!"

Amidst the catastrophe of noise, one shout rose above all. "Fools! If those dragons reach Kirlsa, I'll disembowel you all myself!"

With that incentive, the soldiers scrambled to their assembled lums and air dragons but many of them had families in the village so no order from Albel was needed. The said captain mounted his lum and set off at a gallop towards Kirlsa, his heart thundering in his chest.

Once they had found the remaining dragons of the nest, everything had crumbled. Had he known the blasted male would be the size of a goddamn space ship, he would have brought more men. Actually, it would not have made a difference how many men he brought with him, since this particular dragon was as big as Crossell. When this was over, he thought darkly, he was going to have a word with the Marquis about the Nassar he had undoubtedly allowed to live long enough to grow to that immense size, and he then dug his heels into the lums side, urging it to run faster.

They had successfully killed another female when the male had appeared and many of the soldiers had run away at the sight of the magnificent beast. In the midst of the confusion, Albel had made a personal note of the ones who ran, storing it in his mind for which punishment would fall once they returned to the Training Facility. He abhorred cowardice and simply did not tolerate it amongst his notoriously elite brigade. Also on the list was the fool who had mistakenly reported the location of the dragons. Apparently his eyes were stuck so far up his backside that he had missed a dragon the size of a bloody mansion.

God, he was surrounded by idiots.

He would have tried to take on the dragon by himself but his lieutenant had given him a steely-eyed look that clearly said absolutely not. Of course, Albel had told him where to stick it but the man did not seem the least affected or intimidated and for a moment he regretted selecting a man who was not a complete moron like Shelby had been. So by the time Albel had managed to throw off his lieutenant and the ten other soldiers restraining him, the dragons had taken off and now he was riding flat out to reach Kirlsa before they did.

Before they reached Sophia.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

When the scream shattered the bustle of the market, it almost went unnoticed. Unnoticed that it is, by everyone except Sophia. Her head flew up, her ears pricked in the direction of the scream and her hand flew instinctively to her back, reaching for the staff that was not there. She swore under her breath (a few choice words courtesy of hours spent with Albel), her skin prickling as adrenaline rushed through her veins.

"A **dragon**! A dragon in the sky!" This time the human scream caught the attention of the crowds and immediately panic ensued.

Elise grabbed her hand and pulled her quickly into the safety of a nearby empty house to avoid being trampled by the hysterical crowds. "Here, my lady! You will be safe!"

"Wait, Elise, I have to fight, I have to…" but her words were lost in the feral roar of rage that reverberated in the streets.

Once they were inside, the noise lessened to a dull roar.

"Why in the holy name of Apris have the dragons come to the village?" the servant woman exclaimed as she huddled next to the window, staring in avid horror at the four gigantic dragons circling the village, one of them as big as the Kirlsa manor itself.

Sophia was standing in the middle of the room, the cry of the beast echoing in her head. Memories of past battles… "They… the people will need protection… healing…" she said softly.

"Kirlsa is the headquarters of the Storm Brigade, my lady, they will be able to exterminate the dragons in an instant!"

"No…most of them are helping the people who have already been injured and they aren't nearly strong enough to battle a dragon that big." Abruptly, she turned around and searched for anything that could be used as a weapon. Nothing. Damn, she would have to take a chance and run to the nearest weapons store. Elise raised her head when she heard the door open and saw Sophia leaving.

"Lady Sophia, it is too dangerous! You'll be killed!"

She paused and smiled at the woman. "I'll be okay. I'm a heroine, remember?"

Elise stopped, her hand over her mouth. "But… the dragons…you may be hurt!"

"You should wait here where it's safe," she continued. "I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise. Don't worry, I can handle myself in a fight."

Before the woman could protest, Sophia was gone. Elise turned to the window and while she watched the young girl run across the square, she murmured a prayer under her breath.

"May the grace of Apris be with you, Sophia…"

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"Ice needles!"

The frozen needles struck the circling dragon a glancing blow of its shoulder and it roared in rage, swooping down to belch a stream of fire over the square towards Sophia. She held her staff out in front of her face, a circle of symbols appearing to form a shield against the white-hot fire. Once it saw that the target of its wrath had not been burned, the dragon shrieked in rage and landed onto the ground with a crash that shook the ground. Its malevolent yellow eyes were fixed on Sophia. She gritted her teeth, bracing herself for the imminent attack.

"Flying Guillotine!"

She gasped in surprise as the dragon's head was quickly and violently separated from its body and whirled around. "That was… **Nel**?"

The scarlet haired warrior was standing atop the inn roof, her scarf fluttering in the wind and her arms folded across her chest, glaring at the dragons with cool emerald eyes. A dragon shot towards her, the air shrieking along its wings and she smiled, unsheathing her daggers in the blink of an eye.

"Nel, watch out!"

It was as if the dragon was moving in slow motion, the way Nel darted through the air, gracefully flipping back to avoid the deadly flames. She skidded on the roof tiles but kept her balance as she released another Flying Guillotine that sliced the dragon's arm clean in half. The dragon shrieked once, an unbearable blast of agony, before Nel silenced it forever with an almost disdainful slash of her blades across the soft flesh of its exposed throat. But as the body fell, it crashed through the roof and Sophia saw her begin to fall even before she heard the startled exclamation from Nel.

"Nel!" Sophia cried before running towards her, pointing her staff at the fallen woman. "Healing!"

The soft green glow of the spell surrounded the bloody form of her former companion and she rose out of the rubble slowly as she shook her head from side to side to clear the fog. "Sophia?"

"Yeah, it's me. Are you still hurt? Do you need another healing?"

"No, I can do the rest myself." Her calculating gaze swept over the girl who noticed, turning faintly pink under the scrutiny. "What are you doing on Elicoor, Sophia?" she asked bluntly, straight to the point as usual.

"I, uh…" she was about to stammer her way through a lame excuse when the Aquarian's gaze slid sideways to rest on a point above her shoulder. Sophia turned to see what seemed like an entire herd of lums thundering towards her.

"Sophia!"

She gasped in surprise when Albel flung himself off the foremost lum and skidded to a halt in front of her, sweat dripping from his face. "What the hell are you still doing here? If you had not noticed, there are fucking dragons circling above your head!"

"I know, but…"

"And what the fuck are you doing here?" he asked furiously, turning to Nel, who stood silently to the side. "Did you drag her out here to help your pathetic Aquarian ass fight these beasts?"

"Albel, what is **wrong** with you? I came out on my own, Nel was helping me to **defend** the village."

He stopped for a moment, eyeing Nel suspiciously and he turned reluctantly to Sophia, speaking so that the Crimson Blade, along with the rest of his men, would not hear. "I was worried about you," he said in a gruff voice. "That you might have to face the dragons alone…"

"You were worried about me?" she asked softly, her eyes lighting up.

He nodded, an almost imperceptible tilt of his head. "Is that so surprising?" he snapped, his eyes avoiding hers.

She smiled and took his hand gently. "No. Not really."

"I hate to break up the tender moment, but we still have two dragons who undoubtedly have the intention of incinerating Kirlsa now that two of their own are dead. And one of them happens to be bigger than **Crossell**."

Albel glared at Nel. "We are aware of that, wench."

Sophia watched nervously as the warrior's fingers twitched near the hilt of her dagger at the mention of the word 'we'. "Can we just fight the dragons and go?"

The Black Brigade captain nodded curtly. "The sooner the better. But you are staying here. My soldiers are here and the Storm Brigade is mobilising as we speak. The Aquarian wench and I can most certainly handle this."

She jerked her hand away from his and her lips thinned in a frown. "I am **not **staying behind, you are not fighting **without** me."

Albel looked set to say something very nasty until Sophia whispered something to him in his ear that brought a curiously pleased look to his crimson eyes. It was obviously not meant for Nel to hear, but the woman was a spy, so of course she did hear it.

"By your side is where I belong, in more ways than just the obvious…so let me fight with you again. Let me fight by your side."

She frowned, mulling over the words in her head. This was obviously more than what Fayt had suspected, certainly more intimate than anything he had ever voiced to her. Nel watched as Sophia took an unresisting Albel by the hand and together they walked to where his soldiers were assembled and gazing up at the two dragons with undisguised wonder, but no fear. Albel had certainly had them well trained: they showed not the slightest hint of fear.

"Lady Nel, you honour us with your presence."

"Count," she answered, with a tilt of her head. The shrewd old captain strolled to her side, following her gaze to where she watched Albel and Sophia. Immediately behind him, his lieutenant began shouting orders to organize an attack on the immense dragon.

"I daresay I do not need to ask why you are in Kirlsa."

She was silent, ever aware that the old man was more dangerous than he looked.

"Might I ask you to give my regards to Master Fayt?"

Much, much more dangerous.

"What makes you think Fayt is somehow involved in all of this, Woltar?" she asked, a hint of anger beginning to drip into her voice.

"Oh no, Nel, I do not think, I **know**. Do you think it is merely coincidence that the day after Sophia arrives, you suddenly appear in Kirlsa after an absence of five months? Please, do not take me for a fool."

"I am on a diplomatic mission to Airyglyph, Woltar, as you are very much aware of!"

"Still," he said mildly, "it is somewhat strange that a mission you could have completed a week ago on presentation was suddenly decided to proceed today of all days. Is it not?"

Caught, Nel only glared at the old man and stalked away without saying a word. Woltar watched her walk away and his gaze drifted over to settle on Albel and Sophia.

They were standing side by side.

Hands entwined.

Albel deserved to have the chance at happiness and Woltar was going to make damn sure that no one stole that away from him.

**To be continued…**


End file.
